Record pollution reported in Bucharest on Sunday night, Monday morning

The national network and independent networks of monitoring the air quality in Bucharest have registered record excess of PM 2.5 and PM 10 pollution on the night of Sunday and on Monday morning. For the PM 2.5 pollution, a fine dust mixed with various substances, the level has exceeded by 900-1,000 the maximum admitted limits, while for PM 10 the pollution has reported exceedance by 800%, according to measurements on airly.eu or aerlive.ro platforms.

Environment minister Costel Alexe explained the pollution high levels were mainly due to uncontrolled combustion, but there are also suspicions related to potential industrial activities in Bucharest and Ilfov county.

The minister said there are 46 companies in Ilfov and 69 firms in Bucharest, which are authorized for burning activities.

Minister Alexe has also requested the dismissal of the manager of the National Agency for Environment Protection in Bucharest.

“I asked for the dismissal of the APM management”, the minister said, arguing it’s not normal that he finds about the pollution on Facebook.

He added the mass media will get a list with the biggest pollutants in Bucharest. “We’ll check all pollution sources by the end of the week.”